Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-07-11

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stations.
Here 1--WE come upon e danger point.
Its signal is out, and the interstate COM
merce commission should take notice of
It. II that commission shall conclude
70 allow railroad companies to charge
lower rates on the long haul from stations
where water competition exists than on
the short haul from points where it is
not present, what VIII be the result? VIII
the people give up the fight and tamely
submit to be taxed through discriminat-
ing rates at the nOn-Competitive points
to make up the losses resulting from I'M
reasonably low rates given to stations
where Uater lines compete2 OF course
they will not No one expects them to.
The contest will go on until su effective
transportation reform shall come TO stay.
1t may take g longer time to work il out
than, in any proper and conservative vieW
of the case, is desirable. But DELAYS in
such cases are especially dangerous to
those who occasion them. If the inter
state commerce commission shall prove
to be cause of unnecessary delay, 1t can
and will be abolished. If the heXibility
of the long and short haul provision of
| the fourth section of the present law
shall operate as delay, it will DC made
inteXible. And here let me suggest that the
more the transportation problem is studied
the greater is the tendency in the public
mind towards the pro rate per mile sys-
TEN; and this Will be the end ultimately
I reached if resistance to present efforts to
reform the carrying system resolves it.
self into unreasonable delay, and, supple
menting these things, will surely come
| resolute action by each state for the es-
! tablishment ,of equal rights in the trans
pOrtation of state commerce Indeed,
the states need not wait for the other sug-
gested things to happen. They msy
move ss soon as their legislatures meet
so far as state commerce is concerned.
Iowa is feeling, with no pleasurable
sensations, the effects of msladministrs-
ton by the railroad companies of the
principles Of the interstate commerce
law. Her general assembly will meet
next winter. What stste is more fortu-
nately situated for the enactment and en-
forcement Of effective legislation relative
to her own commerce than Iowa? The
Mississippi river forms her eastern
boundary; the Missouri river her west
err. This constitutes an advantage
which, If rightly used, can be made Of
great advantage TO the state commerce Of |
Iowa. Legislation regulative of our
transportation within the state can be |
put il such form in respect Of rates as
will assure to cur people the advantages /
Of competition between the rivers and the |
railroads. AS an illustration of this sug- |
gestiOn let Us suppose that we have q |
state law effectively regulating railroad |
rates TO and from the rivers, based on the |
doctrine of equal business rights of all |
-. r,e
tbereSt. This being the state of the law, |
q manufacturer at one Of our interior F.
towns desiring to obtain supply of raw
material which can only be had outside |
of Iowa, goes to St. Louis, makes his
purchases and ships it by water TO the
point on the river nearest to his place Of
business, billing it only to the river point
When it is landed from the steamboat it
ceases to belong to inter state commerce,
and at once comes within the law regu-
Iating state commerce, and in this way
gets the benefit OF low river rates and
such as the state regulations provide.
This operation may be reversed on the
Of his manufactured products
out of the state. The same principle will |.
apply to the business of wholesale and
retail dealers, and, indeed, to all Occupa-
tons requiring transportation. Give the
people of Iowa the right kindof state
law for the regulation Of statesommerce,
and they will at once hsve Independently
to avail themselves of the element ofeorn-
petition between the rivers and the rafl- r
roads. i
OF course, the enactment Ola Iaw, viii
not OF itself effect the result mentioRed;
but let ordinary business prudence avail
Itself of the advantages such 8 law would
afford, and the end desired will be ]
speedily reached. If Iowa business shall
get to dealing directly with Pittsburgh,
Louisville, New Orleans, st.
Louis and other water route cities, how
Ong would it be before Chicago and the
would be found doing the fair
hing by Iowa interests and commerce?
The developments IN the transpOrta-
ion field that have been coming to the at
.entiOn Of the public since the interstate
law took effect, and those that
will yet appear before the meeting of the
general assembly next winter, will be I
most serviceable aids TO that body in its
Of this great subject a I
vast amount of definite information is t
coming out daily. 1t ought to be care
ully studied by every person interested
4 IOWa's prosperity. Not for the pur-
pose of vIndictive action, but rather es g
means for arriving at wise, just and /
)enefcent results. Let prudent and !
discussion be entered upon =
md kept up from now until the meeting
If the general assembly Gnd great profit P
will come to lows end all OF her inter
,sts, It VIII lead to the enactment of g =
aw that will give our people proper ad- :.
ustment Of transportation rates to and f
rom the river points, as we'll as those a
which relate to the entire domestic CON- !
1erce of the state. This can be done
Without inficting unnecessary injury !
pon any interest, locality or person. If
/ be done, no state will be more fortu- =
ately circumstanced than Iowa. 5
JAMES F. WILSON. 2